CUBA CITY – Southwestern scored the game’s only run on Rachael Myers’ squeeze bunt in the top of the 10th inning to knock off host Cuba City, 1-0, in a SWAL softball showdown at Splinter Park on Thursday, May 5.
The Wildcats (14-2 overall, 10-1 SWAL) secured their spot atop the league standings with the extra-inning victory over the Lady Cubans (11-8, 8-3).
Southwestern ace Madison Kuhl locked horns with Cuba City ace Emily Wiederholt in the pitchers' circle and each was dialed in as they went head-to-head through nine scoreless innings until the Wildcats finally broke through for a run in the 10th.
Kuhl earned the complete-game win after yielding just two hits and two walks over 10 shutout innings while striking out 15 batters. Wiederholt took a tough loss after allowing just one run on three hits with no walks, and she also struck out 15.
Kuhl led off the 10th with a single to halt Wiederholt’s string of 19 consecutive outs going back to the third inning, and she came in to score when Myers laid down a clutch squeeze bunt.
The Cubans, who had two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth but did not score, went down in order in the 10th.
Wiederholt doubled for one of the Cubans’ two hits and she also walked and was hot by a pitch in the game.
The Cubans’ hard-luck continued throughout the weekend as they dropped three more hard-fought games to a trio of tough foes.
The Cubans lost 7-4 to SWC co-leader Platteville at Platteville's Legion Park on Friday, May 6, and they also fell in a pair of one-run games to state-ranked opponents at the 30th annual Poynette Jamboree on Saturday, May 7.
Host Poynette (16-4, ranked #3 in D3) rallied from behind over the final two innings to sink the Cubans, 4-3, in a rematch of last year’s Division 3 sectional final game; while unbeaten Thorp (17-0, ranked #1 in D4) held off the Cubans, 8-7, in their other game at the Jamboree.
Against Poynette, Megan Hartl hit a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning to put the Cubans up 3-2 at the time. Jessi Marti added three hits in four at-bats for the Cubans.
Marti, who was 3-for-4 with a double against Platteville, went 2-for-4 against Thorp. Wiederholt and Kayla Busch (2B) each added two hits in the Thorp game, while Busch went 2-for-2 with a double against Platteville. Ali Brogley was 3-for-3 in Friday’s game with the Hillmen.
“It sure was a tough four-game stretch, but we battled tooth-and-nail with four very good teams,” said Cuba City head coach Steve Kaiser.
At Cuba City, on Monday, May 9, the Cubans’ SWAL contest against Mineral Point was called off due to rain. The game has been rescheduled for Friday, May 20, starting at 5 p.m. The non-conference game against Lancaster originally scheduled for that night is cancelled and will not be made up.
Cuba City has SWAL games at Iowa-Grant (Cobb) on Thursday, May 12, and at home against Boscobel on Monday, May 16. Both games are set to start at 5 p.m.
The Cubans also compete at the annual Belmont Softball Tournament at Bond Park on Saturday, May 14, starting a 9 a.m.
Southwestern… 000 000 000 1 – 1 3 1
Cuba City……… 000 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
Leading hitters: SW- None. CC- 2B– Emily Wiederholt.
WP- Madison Kuhl. LP- Wiederholt.
At Cuba City, on Thursday, May 5
Cuba City… 110 000 2 – 4 10 2
Platteville… 303 100 x – 7 5 0
Leading hitters: Jessi Marti 3x4, Ali Brogley 3x3, Kayla Busch 2x2. 2B– Marti, Busch.
WP- Wagner. LP- Busch.
At Platteville, on Friday, May 6
2016 POYNETTE JAMBOREE
Cuba City… 202 020 1 – 7 9 3
Thorp……… 021 122 x – 8 8 4
Leading hitters: Jessi Marti 2x4, Emily Wiederholt 2x4, Kayla Busch 2x4. 2B– Busch.
WP- Fouse. LP- Wiederholt.
Cuba City… 200 010 0 – 3 5 1
Poynette…. 110 001 1 – 4 8 3
Leading hitters: Jessi Marti 3x4. HR- Megan Hartl.
WP- M. Bredeson. LP- Emily Wiederholt.
At Poynette, on Saturday, May 7
